As concern grows over the impact that rising oil prices will have on energy prices and the cost of basic goods on the domestic market, the government said yesterday it is preparing to issue households with a practical guide on how to conserve energy.

Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said the booklet would be ready in about 10 days as fears of escalating living costs have been exacerbated since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf of Mexico at the beginning of the week and threatened to further hike global oil prices.

Petrol prices have topped 1 euro per liter in many parts of Greece and Sioufas has gone as far as suggesting that drivers reduce their average speed by 10 kilometers per hour to slash petrol consumption. He said the energy-saving guide would help people contribute to conservation efforts “without creating problems for their quality of life.”

The ministry also issued an invitation to domestic and foreign investors as well as non-governmental organizations to develop Greece’s sources of geothermal energy. “Geothermal energy is a natural resource of the country which has remained unused for many years,” said Deputy Development Minister Giorgos Salagoudis.

Meanwhile, local authorities in Thessaloniki appear to have hit on a timely solution to the current energy crisis by building a unit which will create electricity using the biogases from garbage at the Tagarades landfill. The unit is almost ready and will be able to provide enough power to light up a city of 80,000 inhabitants, officials said.